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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to vocational training for and the occupational licensing |
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of inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 501.027, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.027. ACCESS TO PROGRAMS BY FEMALE |
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INMATES. (a) The department shall develop and implement policies |
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that increase and promote a female inmate's access to programs |
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offered to inmates in the custody of the department, including |
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educational, [vocational,] substance use treatment, |
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rehabilitation, life skills training, and prerelease programs and |
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vocational programs providing education and training designed to |
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ensure successful employment following the inmate's release. The |
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department may not reduce or limit a male inmate's access to a |
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program to meet the requirements of this section. |
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(b) Not later than December 31 of each year, the department |
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shall: |
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(1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, each |
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standing committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction |
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over the department, and the reentry task force described by |
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Section 501.098 a written report that includes: |
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(A) a description of any department policies that |
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were created, modified, or eliminated during the preceding year to |
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meet the requirements of this section; [and] |
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(B) a list of: |
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(i) all programs available to female |
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inmates in the custody of the department during the preceding year; |
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and |
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(ii) vocational programs made available to |
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female inmates in the custody of the department during the |
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preceding year; and |
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(C) a description of any issue identified by the |
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department that prevents the department from making more vocational |
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programs available to female inmates in the custody of the |
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department; and |
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(2) publish the report on the department's Internet |
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website. |
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SECTION 2. Section 53.021, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) Subsection (b) does not prohibit a licensing |
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authority from accepting an application from an inmate imprisoned |
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in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall develop |
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and implement the policies necessary to implement Section 501.027, |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |